Lubricating apparatus



F. S. BARKS ET AL lLUBRICATING APPARATUS Nov. 10, 1936.

original Filed oct. '13, 1934 prov. lz. @MA1-W,

matted Nov. 1o, 193s PATENT oFFicE LUBBICATING APPARATUS Frank S. Barks,St. Louis, Alexander P. Fox, University City, and William Z. Linders,Normandy, Mo., assignors to Lincoln Engineering Company, St. Louis, Mo.,a corporation of Missouri riglnal application October 13, 1934, SerialNo.

748,188, now Patent No.

2,010,174, dated August 6, 1935. Divided and this application August 3,

1935, Serial No. 34,494

3 Claims.

This invention relates to lubricating apparatus, and with regard tocertain more specic features, to a gun for forcing lubricant underpressure into receiving ttings and the like.y

This is a division of the invention disclosed in our application SerialNumber 748,188, filed October 13, 1934, for Lubricating apparatus,eventuated into United States Patent 2,010,174, dated August 6, 1935.

Among the several objects ofthe invention may be noted the provision ofa lubricator hand gun which may be conveniently and quickly guided on toand applied without substantial leakage to successive fittings, andquickly operated to provide a substantially high lubricant pressure, andwhich may be quickly removed; the provision of a lubricating gun of theclass described, which has interchangeable nozzles, each particularlyadapted for a given class of work but each of which may be operated withequal convenience in its respective class of work; the provision of alubricating gun of the class described which is light and compact enoughto be used with one hand, if desired, but not necessarily so, the samecarrying a substantial charge of lubricant; and the provision ofapparatus of this class which is convenient in form and economical tomanufacture. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointedout hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations ofelements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which willbe exemplified in the structures hereinafter described, and the scope ofthe application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing, in which are illustrated several of variouspossible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal section taken through the apparatus, showingone form of nozzle;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged longitudinal section of one class of fitting towhich the apparatus may be applied;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section showing an alternative formof nozzle; and,

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section taken on line -t-t of Fig. 3.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views of the drawing.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 1, there is shown at numeral I abarrel-shaped body in which is a main bore 3 for slidably accommodatinga plunger 5, said bore 3 having an inlet 1 just ahead of the rearmostposition of said plunger 5. The inlet 1 is covered by the plunger 5 whenthe latter is forced forwardly. Said inlet 1 widens out and slopesrearwardly and downwardly, the same being finally formed as an angularcap 9 which is integral with the body portion I.

The cap 9 is threaded to detachably receive I an angularly locatedlubricant supply cylinder Il. The cylinder II has a lower cap I3 throughwhich is formed an opening I5. Within the cylinder II is a free pistonI1. To load the supply cylinder I I, the free piston I1 is forceddownwardly against the cap I3, thus covering the opening I5. Thecylinder Il is then filled and screwed to the cap 9. Upon reciprocationof the plunger 5 and withdrawal of lubricant through the inlet 1, thesupply in the cylinder is gradually exhausted and the piston I1, underatmospheric pressure through opening I5, follows the exhausting supply.

Rearwardly, the body I is provided with a stationary grip I9, the latterbeing held in place on the body I by means of a threaded bushing 2l. Therear end of the plunger 5 is fastened to a guide stem 23, the latterpassing slidably through the opening of said bushing 2l and into `arearward counterbore 25. The counterbore 25 is somewhat larger indiameter than said guide stem 23. A packing 21 is used between the guidestern 23 and said rearward counterbore 25 to seal against leakage.

At its rearward end the guide stem 23 is provided with a movable handle29 which is similar in shape to the stationary handle I9. A spring 3lreacts between the bushing 2l and said movable handle 29. The handles I9and 29 are of dome-like shape. They are so formed that when separatedfingers are placed under the stationary handle I9, the palm of the handmay be used for pressing inwardly the movable handle 29. This permitslof supporting and operating -the device with one hand. `Of course, ifdesired, the other hand may aid the operation by gripping the supplychamber II, although this is not necessary. The cylinder II thenfunctions as a convenient grip.

At its forward end, the body I is provided with stepped counterbores33'and 35, the former accommodating a relatively soft packing 31 and thelatter a ball check valve 39, normally held in seated position by aspring 4I. 'I'he spring 4I reacts against said packing 31.

In the opening at the opposite end oi the packing 31 is positioned acylindric extension I3 5i o! a delivery nipple 4l, said nipple havingailange 41 which has a :dat face where it engages the packing 31, butwhich is provided with a beveled portion-4I opposite the packing. Thebeveled portion provides a rocking edge 5I adapted to cooperate with theinner ilat surface of a metal retaining washer 53 heldv in place on theend of the body I by means of a threaded sleeve 55. The extension 43,ange 41 and nipple 45 are hollow to form a conduit.

Further details in regard to the rocking action of the flange 41 on theinner face of the member 53 may be obtained romLthe United States Patent1,947,208 of William Z. Linders (see Fig. 3 therein). In general, theedge of the flange 41 clears the bore 33 enough to permit rocking of Vthe edge 5I on said washer 53. There is enough clearance between thehole through the washer 53 and the nipple tip 45 to permit of thisaction. It is to be understood that the rocking action is 0f a magnitudewhich, relative to the purpose in hand, is enough to permit of someangularity of the body I with respect to the nipple 45. Since the nipple45 may rock slightly in the end of the iltting 56, the angle of the bodyI, with respect to the ntting 56, is the sum of the angle of the body Iwith respect to the nipple 45 and that of the 'nipple 45 with respect tothe tting 56.

Hence a smaller nipple angle is required for a given body angle, bothmeasured with respect to the fitting 56.

The ntting comprises a hexagonal portion. 51 back of which is a screwthreaded portion 59 for screw connecting the fitting to passages whichare to be lubricated. Ahead of the flange 51 extends a cylindricreceiving tip 6i, grooved as shown at 63 and provided with an inletportion 65 which is' substantially semi-spherical or convex in form. Thegroove 63 constitutes a reduced neck portion. An inlet bore 61communicates with a central counterbore 69, and said counterbore 69communicates with a rearward and larger bore 1I. -A ball checkfvalve 13seats against the end of the counterbore 69 and is normally held inposition by means of a coil spring 15 reacting from an inwardly directedange 11.

It will be seen that the symmetrical guide sleeve 55 is hollowinteriorly and is provided endwise with an inwardly extending flange 19.'I'his ange is preferably beveled as at 82 on its inward side. Thegroove 63 is beveled on its forward side, as shown at numeral 8l and maybe beveled at 83, as shown, although the latter bevel is not important.The bevels 8l and 82 cooperate to provide clearance as will appear.

'Ihe clearance between the opening through ilange 19 and the base of thespherical portion 65 of the ntting 56 is such as to provide a loose ori'ree, guiding nt. The opening through the ange is substantially equalto the tting diameter at the bottom of the convex head portion butslightly larger for free clearance. Thus, as the gun is pressed on thefitting 56, the flange 19 eifects a guiding action over the portion 65.A nicety of aim in applying the gun to the iltting is not necessary. Asthe nipple 45 enters the opening 61 in the ntting 56, a seal is effectedand the guiding action of the flange 19 ceases, be` cause said flange 19comes opposite the groove 43. Hence, thereafter, considerable freerocking ot the body I may be effected with respect to the iltting 56without tending to loosen the lubricant-tight pressure seal between thenipple 45 and the interior of the opening 61.

Merely to provide a guide for sending the nipple 45 into the opening 61is not enough. This is because alter the nipple has been guided home,the ordinary guiding structure will effect a second point of rockingwhich will loosen the nipple 45 from that with which it engages, whenthe body I is inadvertently rocked, as when eilecting a pumping actionon the handle 29. With the present invention, full guiding action isobtained in applying the apparatus for attachment to the iltting andafter it has been contacted, the guiding action ceases and permits amplerocking about one center only at the end of the iltting Without pryingaction about some other center, which would loosen the sealing contact.The bevels 8| and 82 cooperate to insure proper clearance between flange19 and groove 63.

It is to'be understood that as the boch' I rocks (inadvertently)angularity is eiected between the nipple 45 and said body and alsoangularity is eiected between the nipple and the iltting. As aboveshown, the purpose of allowing the angularity between the nipple and thebody is to reduce the angularity between the nipple and the iitting,with an overall angularity between the body I and fitting 55 which. isof the order of that which obtains when a pumping action goes on. Theflange 19 and groove 63 take care of this overall rocking without pryingthe nipple 45 from the opening 61.

In operation, assuming the chamber II to be filled, the operator graspsthe separated handles I9 and 29 and applies the sleeve 55 to the tting56. The ange 19 cooperates, rst with the spherical end 65 of thefitting. Only an approximate alignment is necessary because, as the gunis further pressed to the-fitting, the ange 19 rides toward the cylinder69 over the end 65 and guides the nipple 45 into the opening 61. Afterthis has occurred, the ange 19 comes opposite the groove 63. Theoperator then presses the handle 29 toward the handle I9 repeatedly,thus eiecting ejection of lubricant from the nipple 45 and into thefitting 56. Any rocking action of the body I, engendered by the pumpingaction between handles I9 and 29 is provided for without eiecting a.disconnection between nipple 45 and tting 55, for the reason abovegiven. As the supply in the chamber II is reduced, the piston I1 followsunder atmospheric pressure to maintain a supply at the inlet 1.

Referring now more particularly to Fig. 3, it will be seen that thebarrel I is alternatively provided with a threaded sleeve 85 which holdsin position a split sleeve 9| having a head member 81. Howeven insteadof using the inwardly extending ange 19 of Fig. 1, the outer end of thesleeve 85 is bored straight for receiving the inner split sleeve 89whereby the sleeve 89 and said head 81 may be held in place at the endof the body I and spaced around the nipple 45.

The bore through the split sleeve 89 and the outside diameter of saidsleeve 85 are arranged, for example, as follows:

Assuming that the outside diameter of 'the cylindric portion 6I and baseof head 65 of the tting is .249 inch, the sleeve 89 is formed with abore in its unstrained condition which is .250 inch. The sleeve is thenclosed in so that its final inside dimension is .249 inch. It is thenhardened. This leaves no clearance between the split sleeve 89 and tting56. The clearance between the outside diameter of the sleeve 89 and theinside diameter of the sleeve 85 is .002 inch.

The result of the above relationship is that tnere is an accuratesliding t between the split sleeve 89 and the cylindric portion 6I offitting 58 which effects a definite alignment, so that the cylinder Icannot be rocked under any condition to any degree which would loosenthe nipple 45 from its position in the receiving opening 81, afterpermanent set and thereby become loose. If it were tightly backed upthere would be no spring at all and the snug application could not, inpractice, be brought about in the nrst instance. While it is not desiredthat we be limited to the above dimensions, they are given as beingexemplary of the proportions desired. The functions to be effected bythe proportions are a snug, sliding, frictional fit interiorly betweenthe split sleeve 89 and the tip of the fitting and at the same time abacking of the split sleeve by a rigid member at such a distance thatsome springing may be effected without the split sleeve taking apermanent set, that is, without being stressed beyond its elastic limit.

The sleeves 55 and 85 and included parts are interchangeable. Thesleevev 85 of Fig. 3, which maintains a rigid alignment between fittingand gun, is most useful in applications where it is desired to be ableto attach a gun to the tting and have it remain there temporarily whilethe operator effects maneuvers. For instance, if the car which is beinglubricated is not jacked up, this form of sleeve is preferable becausean attachment to the nipple may be made and then the v operators bodyplaced in an advantageous position to effect pumping. Analogoussituations will suggest themselves.

The form of the sleeve shown in Fig. 1 is preferable where the car israised and the operator can get beneath it, such that application of thegun and a pumping stroke may be made simultaneously but at somewhatvarious angles with respect to the tting. 'I'he sleeve of Fig. 1 is alsosomewhat preferable for use with power pumps having flexible outletsreaching up to the ball check 39, instead of the hand pump. This isbecause the outlets of power guns are not rigid and it is therefore morediiilcult to maintain a Furthermore. the parts associated with the powercoupler and hose'are ordinarily so heavy that a sleeve such as shown atFig. 3 would have an undue bending moment applied to it. However, it isnot to be understood that the structure of Fig. 3 is notA applicable to`power. guns, because under proper conditions of design it is also usefulfor the purpose.

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of theinvention are achieved and other advantageous results attained.

As many changes could be made in carrying `bination with a tting havinga substantially cylindric contour behind its forward end, an outersleeve and an inner sleeve within said outer sleeve, said vinner sleevebeing splitv and interiorly cylindric and being springingly engageablewith the cylindric contour of said fitting to eiect a snug and alignedattachment without supplemental pressure on the split sleeve, theclearance between theinner and outer sleeves being fixed and of anorderv adapted to permit outward springing action of the inner sleevebut limiting its expanding movement to a degree which will avoidpermanent strain under repeated applications.

2. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a fittinghaving la substantially cylindric contour behind its forward end, anouter sleeve, and a separate, inner sleeve within said outer sleeve,said inner sleeve being split and interiorly cylindric and beingspringingly engageable with the cylindric contour of said tting to eiecta snug and aligned attachment without supplemental pressure on the splitsleeve, the

' clearance between the inner and outer sleeves being fixed and of anorder adapted to permit springing action of the inner sleeve butlimiting its movement toa degree which will avoid permanent strain underrepeated applications, the split inner sleeve and outer sleeve beingrelatively fixed longitudinally.

3. In apparatus of the class described, in combination with a iittinghaving a receiving opening with a. substantially cylindric contourbehind its forward end, an outlet nipple adapted to cooperate interiorlywith said opening in the fitting, an

outer sleeve positioned about said nipple, and a separate inner sleevewithin said outer sleeve,

' said inner sleeve being split and being springingly engageable withsaid fitting, the clearance between the inner and outer sleeves being ofan order adapted to permit springing action of the inner sleeve butlimiting its expanding movement to a degree which will avoid permanentstrain under continued application, and means mountk-ing the nipple inconnection with lubricant supply means so that there is angular movementbetween the two without leakage, whereby the angular movement betweenthe supply means and the tting may be greater than that between thenipple and the fitting.

FRANK s. nanas. ArnxANDim P. rox. l wnmau z. maas.

